Among the items strewn on the dual carriageway were coffee cups, drink cans and food packaging thrown out of vehicles. But the workers also removed car parts including tyres and bumpers as well as white goods, fridges, and mattresses.

The pick-up project – which occurs around twice a year – targeted slip roads, junctions and grass verges of the A41 from the junction with the M25 at Kings Langley through to Tring and back again.

The distance covered was a total of 26 miles – just short of a marathon.

The authority’s enviromental services group manager Craig Thorpe said: “Clearing this litter is an expensive process and it has cost us £8,250 just to manage the road closures so we can safely pick up rubbish that shouldn’t have been dropped in the first place.

A41 clear-up

“Litter along this main route not only doesn’t just look unsightly, it can be a hazard to motorists.

“I would like to urge drivers and their passengers to take their litter home with them so we can keep our roads clean and safe.”

The central reservation will be cleared later in the summer to coincide with a Hertfordshire County Council grass cutting scheme.

It has cost us £8,250 just to manage the road closures so we can safely pick up rubbish that shouldn’t have been dropped in the first place.